Transit Specialist

Job Description:

Transit Specialist

Description

Summary/Class Characteristics

Transit Specialist

The City of Petaluma is looking to fill a Transit Specialist vacancy within the Transit team of the recently formed Safe Streets and Mobility Division of the Public Works Department. This recruitment will remain open until filled and may close at anytime. Qualified candidates are encouraged to apply early for first consideration.

SALARY AND BENEFITS PACKAGE

• SALARY RANGE : $80,766.40 - $98,217.60 annually (+3% COLA effective July 2025)
• FOR YOUR HEALTH AND WELL BEING:
  • MEDICAL INSURANCE: Choice of a variety of CalPERS Health Plans. City pays ~95% of the Bay Area Kaiser premium for employee & eligible dependents; or alternative option to receive Medical Cash Back (if you have medical coverage elsewhere). Please see the 2025 Health Plan Contribution Memo
  • DENTAL & VISION INSURANCE: Coverage for employees & eligible family members, paid for by the City.
  • LIFE INSURANCE: 1.5x annual compensation up to maximum of $200,000. Option to purchase additional insurance. Long-Term Disability up to 60% of your current monthly salary after eligibility requirements are met and subject to maximum amounts.
  • EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM: Support and benefits, for you and eligible family members, paid for by the City.
  • WELLNESS BENEFIT: $500 annual allowance (is subject to the annual budget approval process and may change in the future.)
• FOR YOUR FINANCIAL FUTURE:
  • CALPERS RETIREMENT PACKAGE
    • 2% at 60 for classic CalPERS members
    • 2% at 62 for PEPRA CalPERS members
  • DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN: Voluntary participation in your choice of three plans.
• FOR YOUR WORK / LIFE BALANCE (annual amounts):
  • Vacation: 80 Hours, increasing with years of service, up to 5 years service credit towards vacation accrual rate for prior qualifying employment.
  • Sick Leave: 96 hours
  • Holidays: 12 fixed and 1 floating
• Other Exceptional Benefits:
  • Paid Parental Leave - up to 8 weeks of paid time for qualifying family bonding
  • Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program Employer

For more information regarding the benefits associated with this position, visit our website and look at the Memorandum of Understanding and Employee Benefits .

#petalumaproud

A City that Works for Everyone

Our City has an enormous amount of civic pride which celebrates multiple approaches and points of view. When we say we are a City that Works for Everyone we mean everyone. To do that well, we’re creating a workforce that is inclusive and listens to the multitude of voices and views of our employees. Diversity is an integral part of our organizational identity. Inclusion is the way we treat and perceive our differences. Equity is treating all our employees fairly and acknowledging that everyone has value. This drives our innovation, motivation and connects us even closer to our community.

Summary

Oversee and coordinate day-to-day transit operations including communications, marketing and outreach; promote the use of Petaluma Transit to the public through marketing programs; updating agency web-based and printed information; create marketing and outreach materials; coordinate communications with other regional transit agencies; create and update transit agency maps and guides; conduct group and individual transit usage training; coordinate the ADA Eligibility Determination program and plan and attend community events on behalf of Petaluma Transit.

Class Characteristics

General supervision is provided by the Transit Manager; responsibilities may include the direct and indirect supervision of lower level professional, technical, and clerical personnel as well as interface with and guidance of Transit Operations Contractor personnel.

Duties

Oversee and coordinate day-to-day transit operations including planning, operations, and contracting; develop and manage programs designed to increase and expand transit system ridership.

Promote use of Petaluma Transit through marketing programs using web-based, social media and other marketing campaigns.

Coordinate a travel training program that educates and teaches individuals and groups, employers, senior citizens, school classes, and other populations on how to utilize the bus system.

Conduct site visits to various businesses in the community, speaking with local merchants and citizens about public transit issues, advertising on the bus system, transit needs of the business or entity, and establish a network of transit information locations (bus schedule displays).

Produce a variety of materials for marketing purposes to both English and non-English speaking audiences, including but not limited to newsletters, flyers, posters, bus schedule brochures, videos, department websites, and all web-based outreach media; maintain updated inventory of promotional and sales materials.

Establish and maintain working relationships with media contacts.

Coordinate, organize, set up, and staff public events as an ambassador of Petaluma Transit; plan and promote transit-specific events to elevate community awareness.

Assist in creating and identifying fixed route bus schedules, route changes, potential bus stop locations, and other public needs within the Petaluma Transit system.

Partner with Transit Operations Contractor on sign installations and removals.

Respond to inquiries, complaints, and correspondence from customers and the public.

Coordinate and manage the City’s paratransit eligibility evaluations, manage the database of eligible riders, including notifications for eligibility renewals, and support communications with all clients.

Develop policy and collaborate with contract operators to ensure compliance with service delivery standards and legal requirements.

Monitor changes in federal regulation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and 1964 Civil Rights Act; manage Petaluma’s ADA-eligible clients in the R.E.D. Regional Database (Bay Area’s ADA Eligibility database) and support communications with all clients.

Design print and web materials to communicate service information to the public, using commercial graphic design software such as Adobe Creative Suite to produce bus schedule booklets/brochures, posters, information flyers, and car cards (ads inside buses).

Oversee and record the agency fair revenue.

Post service alerts and changes at bus stops and inside buses.

Build and maintain collaborative relationships with regional partners, including other public transit agencies, advocacy groups, social service agencies, social workers, and private paratransit service providers to identify accessibility needs and develop solutions.

Observe bus operations for performance measures and provide feedback to Transit Manager and other transit staff; develop transit system expertise.

Give presentations before various boards, commissions, community groups, and stakeholder agencies involved with transportation or transit planning and operations.

Serve as contact for accessibility issues for disabled users of fixed route and paratransit services; respond to concerns to ensure customer issues are addressed and resolved.

Maintain revenue records on bus pass and token sales, conduct outreach to establish new pass sales outlets, collect revenues, and create summary reports.

Act as Transit Manager in his or her absence.

Perform related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Knowledge of:

Operational characteristics, services, and activities of public transit systems.

Marketing and communication techniques to build product loyalty and interest.

Federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and guidelines for public transit systems.

Outreach techniques and ability to communicate effectively one-on-one and with groups.

Principles of web-based and social media platforms and messaging.

Public speaking principles and techniques for effective presentations to various audiences.

Principles, practices, and terminology related to contract administration.

Office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and applicable software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and databases.

Education and Experience

Any combination equivalent to the education and experience likely to provide the required knowledge and abilities would be qualifying. A typical way to gain such knowledge and abilities would be:

Education:

A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in communications, planning, business, marketing, or a related area.

Experience:

Two years of experience working in a transit, communications, outreach, marketing, and/or customer service environment which demonstrates possession of the knowledge and abilities listed above. Experience with marketing in public service is highly desirable.

Additional Requirement:

Ability to speak and write in Spanish is desirable.

Physical Demands and Working Environment

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, use the computer keyboard and mouse, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms, talk or hear, stand, walk, and stoop, or crouch. Occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Requires the ability to work in an office environment where the noise level is usually moderate.

Employee will be required to perform Travel Training that requires traveling with senior citizens, large groups of children, and other populations to bus stops and ride with them on the bus to familiarize them with the operation of the bus.

The City of Petaluma offers a wide-ranging, comprehensive benefit package including CalPERS retirement, medical, dental, vision, life, LTD, etc. For moreinformation regarding the benefits associated with this position, visit our website: https://cityofpetaluma.org/employee-benefits-information/

Closing Date/Time: Continuous

Salary:

$80,766.40 - $98,217.60 Annually